title: Is lung surgery a good option for octogenarians?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of geriatric patients with lung cancer is expected to increase in the next few years, especially patients over 80, and therefore it is important to know where the therapeutic limits should be drawn. Is surgery a good option in patients over 80?
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To show the results of lung resection in patients over 80 years of age to evaluate the safety and short-term results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 21 patients who underwent lung resection between October 1999 and October 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 82 ± 2; 13 lobectomies were performed,5 transegmental resections, 2 segmentectomies, and 1 pneumonectomy. Postoperative complications (28.6%) were: respiratory 66.6%, cardiological 16.7% and digestive 16,7%. Perioperative mortality was 9,5% (2). There was a significant association between mortality and age (P=.023), or pneumonectomy (P=.002). We studied COPD as a risk factor for mortality and found a statistically significant relation with the need for ICU (P<.007), and the appearance of complications (P<.044).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resective lung surgery is feasible and safe in selected patients over 80 years of age. In our experience, squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent tumor. The most common procedure was lobectomy which is a safe technique with a low complication rate in elderly patients. Pneumonectomy should be avoided, as we have found a significant association with perioperative mortality.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Cirugía Torácica y Trasplante Pulmonar, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España. Electronic address: eli_piano@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arango Tomás
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Cirugía Torácica y Trasplante Pulmonar, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cerezo Madueño
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Cirugía Torácica y Trasplante Pulmonar, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Algar Algar
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Cirugía Torácica y Trasplante Pulmonar, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España.
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salvatierra Velázquez
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000075202:Contraindications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Ancianos; Cáncer de pulmón; Elderly; Lobectomy; Lobectomía; Lung cancer; Octogenarians; Octogenarios